These 10 guys don't just play rough. They play dirty.
HoopsVibe's Very Quick Call: These are the guys known for cheap shots, elbows to the face, and intentionally tripping you when no one's looking.Read More

59 years ago today, the NBA All-Star game had the first overtime game in its history.

HoopsVibe Very Quick Call: Bob Cousy stepped up and delivered.

The legendary Boston Celtics guard poured in 10 points during the overtime period and gave the East a 98-93 victory, also garnering All-Star MVP honors in the process.

This game was so long ago that George Mikan, the original "big man", played in it, going just six of 18 from the field and nearly fouling out. Dolph Schayes is the only other name I could recognize besides the aforementioned Cousy and Mikan. But what's interesting about that is that even the average NBA fan knows those names, which shows you the kind of impact they made on the game and the league.

In hindsight though, it's pretty sad that in an All-Star game with an extra period, the teams combined for just 191 points. 26 years later, the second OT All-Star game occurred with the West pulling out an eight point victory and the two teams combined for 280 points. The game had changed.

Aside from those two OT games, there have been four others, occurring in 1984, 1987, 1993 and 2003.

In '84, Isiah Thomas took home MVP honors after a 21 point, 15 assist, five rebound game. In '87, Seattle's Tom Chambers won the award while he was playing for the Supersonics, accumulating 34 points as the games leading scorer.

In '93, with the game held in Utah, John Stockton and Karl Malone were named co-MVP's of the game, which was as absurd and partial as it sounds.

In '03, the first double OT game in history occurred. Kevin Garnett was named the MVP after scoring a game high 37, making three straight baskets in the second OT. Interestingly, this was Michael Jordan's last All-Star game.

As the years have gone on, the games have become more and more competitive, with the last three games being decided by a total of 10 points. But it all began back in 1954.
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Can you believe it’s been 20 years since the original Dream Team dominated the 1992 Summer Olympics? It must've been that long if Kobe thinks this year's incarnation would have ANY SHOT against them.

HoopsVibe Very Quick Call: There will never be another Dream Team, in any sport.

Perhaps even more amazingly, can you believe that in all that time that I have maintained my collection of Starting Lineup Dream Team figurines in its original box, unopened and untouched by human hands? On a trip to a local Target with my step mother, I conned her into buying it for me; $100 when you're twelve feels like $1,000,000. It was the kind of gift you could only secure via guilt. It was the sort of reverse psychology that women have been employing on me ever since.

I remember one time in 8th grade during my 13th birthday party it was discovered by a party goer named Eric Hoffman who spent at least two hours prying me to open it. It was the ultimate peer pressure situation, but I held firm. It turns out I should’ve probably opened it because since then it’s appreciated roughly $20 in nearly 20 years. But every time I see it, I remember how special that team was, even though Clyde Drexler and Christian Laettner, as late additions, were not included in the set.

Did you know that Laettner was actually selected over Shaquille O’Neal for the final spot? We all saw what Charles Barkley did to that Angolan; imagine what Shaq could’ve done. The Dream Team beat their opponents in the Olympics that year by an average score of 44 points a game and looked so cool doing it.

The closest margin of victory was a 32 point win over Croatia which included NBA players Toni Kukoc, Dino Radja, Drazen Petrovic, Stojko Vrankovic and Zan Tabak. Croatia won the Silver Medal and led by all that talent, ushered in a new era for the NBA where overseas players began to be viewed as valuable as their American counterparts. Today you can look at almost every NBA roster and find a player from another country, but in 1992 it was extremely rare.

Michael Jordan was the only player to start all eight games which really speaks to how great he was. Even surrounded by all those Alpha Males, there was no question who the top dog was. Jordan took 30 more shots than anyone else, but Barkley was the leading scorer putting up 18 ppg. Just in case anyone forgot, check out this roster; it would be akin to playing a game against the Hall of Fame as 11 of the players (minus Laettner) are actually in the Hall of Fame:

Michael Jordan- 14.9 ppg, 2.4 rpg, 4.8 apg

David Robinson- 9.0 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 0.9 apg

Patrick Ewing- 9.5 ppg, 5.3 rpg. 0.4 apg

Larry Bird- 8.4 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 1.8 apg

Scottie Pippen- 9.0 ppg, 2.1 rpg, 5.9 apg

Clyde Drexler- 10.5 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 3.6 apg

Karl Malone- 13.0 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 1.1 apg

John Stockton- 2.8 ppg, 0.3 rpg, 2.0 apg

Chris Mullin- 12.9 ppg, 1.6 rpg, 3.6 apg

Charles Barkley- 18 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 2.4 apg

Magic Johnson- 8.0 ppg, 2.3 rpg, 5.5 apg

Christian Laettner- 4.8 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 0.4 apg

Since the original Dream Team won Gold, the rest of the world gradually caught up and no other US Olympic team was even close to being as dominant. In what can only be described as an affront to the supreme quality of the original (and only, in my mind) Dream Team is that each of the next two USA Olympic teams were also referred as the “Dream Team” though really, who are they fooling? A team with Steve Smith on it should never be referred to as a “Dream Team”. A more suitable moniker would be “Team of Guys Who Are Above Average NBA Players”.

The Dream Team wasn't just the greatest team ever assembled for the way it dominated on the court, but it actually furthered the development of the sport for the entire world.

The German Bomber has a great career. He is showing no signs of slowing down either. Did you ever think the guy would be here? Yep, I didn’t. This question now has to be posed if it had not already – Has he surpassed Karl Malone, Kevin Garnett, and Charles Barkley? This is a serious question. Before having a grand historic 2010-2011 season, no one should dare think about it. Today, things changed dramatically. What’s scarier? Nowitzki remains efficient.

This was the last draft to be held prior to forming the NBA Draft Lottery for the following season. The picks were assigned in reverse order of how the teams had finished the previous season. The draft was actually ten rounds long, which seems excessive considering the two rounds total of this year’s draft.

This comes up every playoff time involving great active players such as Kobe Bryant and LeBron James right now in 2011. Whenever one of them goes deep in a playoff run putting up good statistics and highlight plays, the media and former players gas these guys up. The method is definitely a “prisoner of the moment” type thing. Why do you guys do it? There is a lot of front running and some trolling. All good though. I’m ready. We’re ready. My body is ready. Let’s do this. Remember that the standards are extremely high and strict. These legends have great accomplishments. However, further scrutiny causes them not be the ultimate GOAT.

Scottie Pippen suggested, on ESPN Radio’s Mike And Mike In the Morning, that LeBron James, and not his former teammate, Michael Jordan, could end up being the greatest all-around player the league has ever seen.

“Michael Jordan is probably the greatest scorer to ever play in the game, but I may go as far to say LeBron James is probably the greatest player to ever play the game,” Pippen said.

He said James may be a greater all-around player because of athleticism and size. And he said James can a dominate game in more ways than Jordan.

Purists will be offended. After all, Jordan has six championship rings. James has none. Jordan transcended basketball. James gave basketball a bad name with The Decision.

Still, Pippen, in theory, may have a point. James’ rare combination of size, speed, skill, and power gives him a unique advantage over any player to ever grace an NBA floor.

When it’s all said and done, James may eventually be in the same sentence as Jordan. Not now, though.

Here’s the reality: James lacks Jordan’s will and competitiveness. Remember, Jordan overcame the Detroit Pistons’ harsh tactics; upset Magic Johnson and the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA Finals; handled Clyde the Glyde and Rip City; twice withstood the best John Stockton and Karl Malone, two Hall of Famers, could offer; and defeated Shawn Kemp, Gary Payton, and the Seattle Sonics.

James has done nothing of the sort. Yet.

Let’s be fair: Jordan had help. It’s interesting his ‘help’ (Pippen) is so quick to deflect praise away from his former teammate and supposed friend towards others.

Maybe Pippen’s statement says more about the rivalry between him and Jordan, and less about James’ place in the game.

Can you believe it’s been 19 years since the original Dream Team dominated the 1992 Summer Olympics? Perhaps more amazingly, can you believe that in all that time that I have maintained my collection of Starting Lineup Dream Team figurines in its original box, unopened and untouched by human hands?

Jerry Sloan resigned as head coach of the Jazz after several clashes with Deron Williams. Sloan and Williams clashed at halftime of Wednesday's loss to the Bulls. At least two members of the Jazz feared Sloan and Williams would physically fight, but the confrontation ended before reaching that point.

There shouldn’t be. Here’s what we know: the old school sideline boss and new school table-setter Deron Williams didn’t click. They never did, either.

Consider that Sloan rarely played Williams during his rookie year. Sloan had no issue publicly stating that his power point guard would never measure up to or equal his former point guard in John Stockton.

Bottom line: Sloan refused to appease and pamper Williams like so many coaches and organizations do today with their superstars.

Williams felt slighted by his coach. For some time he had been miffed by the Jazz’s penny-pinching ways, and this once again spilled over Wednesday evening in an ugly confrontation.

Who knows if Sloan and Williams really wanted a piece of each other?

Sloan, even in his mid-sixties, isn’t someone you’d cross. Fortunately, Williams won’t have to. The superstar and free agent to be in 2012 won the war against his veteran coach.

Of course, you can’t help but feel something has changed with Sloan’s resignation. The last of a dying breed is gone.